Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
DUAL FUNCTION LOCK CYLINDER ASSEMBLY OPERABLE BY
DIFFERENT KEYS
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of the
filing date
of provisional patent application Serial No. 62/332,678 filed May 6, 2016.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] This disclosure relates to a lock cylinder assembly that includes a
mechanical
cylinder and electronic cylinder or two electronic cylinders that are
independently operable
and which are both interoperable with a door lock mechanism.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In commercial building applications (for example, a store front)
mechanical
lock cylinders, such as mechanical, tumbler-based lock cylinders, are often
used to secure the
front door. In many such applications, local ordinances require a -backup" or -
duplicate" of
the mechanical key that operates the door lock to be stored in a protected -
box" or -tube" that
is accessible, e.g., by emergency personnel, from the outside of the building.
Knox Company
is a well-known provider of these types of boxes, known as the ``Knox Box."
The backup
mechanical key is used by agencies, such as fire and rescue depat ___ intents,
to gain access to the
building in the event of an emergency during off hours or whenever the door is
locked. The
box storing the backup building key is secured by a different lock that only
the emergency
agencies have a key to access.
[0004] The use of electronic cylinders has become more prevalent in
commercial,
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industrial, and other similar facilities. A typical electronic cylinder
comprises an electro-
mechanical actuator mounted within thc door and configured to selectively lock
or unlock a door
lock mechanism, such as traditional rim lock or mortise lock hardware
application, when
activated by a properly programmed electronic key. Such electronic cylinders
provide certain
advantages that are not available with traditional mechanical cylinders. For
example, electronic
cylinders can be electronically re-keyed and can be programmed to provide time-
based access
control to the door to thereby allow access only at certain, predetermined
times of day.
Electronic cylinders also provide audit information as each electronic key can
be programed to
emit a unique signature that is captured by the lock control system when the
key is used to access
the facility.
[0005] When an electronic retrofit cylinder is utilized on a door to
control access to a
building subject to such ordinances, the mechanical cylinder is replaced with
the electronic
cylinder, and the mechanical key stored in the protected box is no longer
usable to gain access to
the door. In this context, the term "retrofit cylinder" means a cylinder
having the same physical
and operational configuration as an existing cylinder so that it can replace
an existing cylinder by
fitting into the compartment formed in the door for holding the cylinder lock
and it will
interoperate with the existing door lock/latch mechanism in the same manner as
the replaced
cylinder.
[0006] In order to meet the requirements of local ordinances for providing
access to the
front door in the event of an emergency, an electronic key would be need to be
stored in the
emergency access key box. This is problematic in that an electronic key is
typically battery-
powered (either replaceable or rechargeable batteries) and it would be
necessary to recharge or
replace batteries in the electronic key frequently to ensure the key would be
operational when
needed by the emergency personnel. Additionally, batteries may degrade badly
or cease to work
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in some environments due to the severe temperatures (hot and cold) encountered
inside the
storage box mounted on the outside of the building.
[0007] To avoid these shortcomings, for an electronic cylinder to be
practicably usable in
a facility subject to such emergency access ordinances, the electronic
cylinder should also be
operable by a mechanical key that can be stored externally of the facility in
an emergency access
key box. Unfortunately, a retrofit cylinder that is configured to replace an
existing mechanical
lock cylinder without requiring a substantial reconfiguration of the door and
door latch, and
which is operable by a mechanical override key as well as the primary
electronic key(s) is not
available. Accordingly, there is a need for electronic retrofit cylinder with
mechanical override.
[0008] In other applications, there are advantages to a retrofit cylinder
lock having two
electronic cylinders, which are not realized in the application described
above with respect to the
"Knox Box," where a backup or secondary key is required to be stored in the
box for emergency
personnel to gain access. In such applications, a retrofit cylinder lock
having a second,
electronic cylinder option ¨ as opposed to a second, mechanical option ¨ has
benefits where the
lock cylinder may be utilized. The need to provide independent access to a
"shared" asset
between two independent management systems is one benefit. Because each
electronic cylinder
is electronically "unique", each cylinder can be assigned to a different
management system.
Keys programmed from one system can only access "their" electronic cylinder.
The other
system can only program keys to access "their" cylinder. Providing access is
not dependent on a
single party (or system) to provide programming of all keys for access.
[0009] An exemplary application is a lock installed on the door of an ATM
back room.
The ATM service provider can program their key to gain access as needed to
gain access to
service or repair the ATM. The armored car company needs access to replenish
cash in the
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ATM. They have the ability to program a key from their system to open the door
using their
cylinder. Neither of these users is dependent on the other for access. In this
example, for
security purposes, it is better if the service provider does not know when the
armored car will be
there. The additional benefit over one mechanical and one electronic cylinder
is that with two
electronic cylinders there is a recorded audit record stored in each cylinder
and each key for all
accesses. In an application in which one of the cylinders is a mechanical
cylinder, there is no
audit of the mechanical cylinder being used to access or open the door.
[0010] Accordingly, there is also a need for an electronic retrofit
cylinder lock that
includes two electronic cylinder plugs.
SUMMARY
[0011] The following presents a simplified summary in order to
provide a basic
understanding of some aspects described herein. This summary is not an
extensive overview of
the claimed subject matter. It is intended to neither identify key or critical
elements of the
claimed subject matter nor delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to
present some
concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description
that is presented later.
[0012] A proposed solution for a security lock that requires a
"backup" key is to provide
a dual functioning retrofit cylinder for the door. The dual functioning
cylinder would contain
two cylinder plugs within the retrofit lock housing that fits into the door,
one mechanical plug
that is operable by a mechanical key and one electronic plug that is operable
by an electronic
key. The two cylinders would function independently of each other in this
application, but both
would be inter-operable with the door lock/latch mechanism (e.g., to retract a
bolt) so as to
enable access through the door. Under normal usage, the user or occupant of
the building would
utilize the electronic cylinder plug and gain access to the facility with the
corresponding
electronic key(s), thereby providing all the of the advantages that electronic
key provide. A
4
mechanical key could be used in the event of an emergency to gain access by
fire and rescue.
The mechanical key would be stored in the storage box that only the emergency
agencies
have access to, and thus the lock would be incompliance with emergency access
ordinances.
[0013] The dual functioning retrofit cylinder comprises a double-barrel,
double-plug
cylindrical lock that is constructed to be of approximately the same size and
shape as the
traditional, single plug lock cylinders that it replaces, so that the dual-
functioning lock may
readily be mounted into existing door hardware to replace existing, single-
function cylinders.
One plug of the lock is a mechanical cylinder configured to be operated by a
mechanical key;
and the other plug is an electronic cylinder configured to be operated by an
electronic key.
[0014] A proposed solution for a security lock that allows access to
multiple
independent management systems is to provide a dual-functioning retrofit
cylinder lock that
includes two cylinder plugs, which are each operable by an electronic key. In
an alternative
embodiment, the mechanical cylinder may be replaced with a second electronic
cylinder so
that dual functioning retrofit cylinder includes two electronic cylinders. The
electronic
cylinder and the second electronic cylinder function independently of each
other so that the
dual function cylinder is configured to be operated by two different
electronic keys.
Accordingly, each electronic cylinder may be assigned to a separate user.
[0014a] In another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a
lock
cylinder assembly comprising: a housing; a mechanical cylinder disposed within
a first bore
formed in the housing; an electronic cylinder disposed within a second bore
formed in the
housing; and first and second cams, each of the first and second cams being
configured to
actuate a door lock mechanism; wherein the first cam is directly connected to
the electronic
cylinder so as to be rotatable with the electronic cylinder and wherein the
electronic cylinder
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-01-25
and the second cam are rotatable with respect to each other so that the second
cam does not
rotate with the electronic cylinder, and wherein the second cam is rotatably
coupled to the
mechanical cylinder so that the second cam rotates when the mechanical
cylinder is rotated.
[0014b] In a further embodiment of the present invention there is provided
a lock
cylinder assembly comprising: a housing; a first cylinder disposed within a
first bore formed
in the housing; a second cylinder disposed within a second bore formed in the
housing, and
wherein at least one of the first and second cylinders is an electronic
cylinder; and first and
second cams, each of the first and second cams being configured to actuate a
door lock
mechanism; wherein the first cam is directly connected to the second cylinder
so as to be
rotatable with the second cylinder and wherein the second cylinder and the
second cam are
rotatable with respect to each other so that the second cam does not rotate
with the second
cylinder, and wherein the second cam is rotatably coupled to the first
cylinder so that the
second cam rotates when the first cylinder is rotated.
[0015] Other features and characteristics of the subject matter of this
disclosure, as
well as the methods of operation, functions of related elements of structure
and the
combination of parts, and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent
upon
consideration of the following description and the appended claims with
reference to the
accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein
like reference
numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form
part of the
specification, illustrate various embodiments of the subject matter of this
disclosure. In the
drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar
elements.
[00171 FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a dual function cylinder
assembly.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the dual function cylinder
assembly.
[0019] FIG. 3 is a front end view of the dual function cylinder assembly.
[0020] FIG. 4 is a rear end view of the dual function cylinder assembly.
[0021] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the dual function cylinder
assembly.
[0022] FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the dual function cylinder
assembly with an
first cam thereof rotated to an unlock position and a second cam thereof in a
locked position.
[0023] FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the dual function cylinder
assembly with the
first cam in a locked position and the second cam rotated to an unlock
position.
[0024] FIG. 8 is a front end view of the dual function cylinder assembly
according to an
alternative embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a dual function cylinder
assembly
according to an alternative embodiment.
6
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] While aspects of the subject matter of the present disclosure may be
embodied
in a variety of forms, the following description and accompanying drawings are
merely
intended to disclose some of these forms as specific examples of the subject
matter.
Accordingly, the subject matter of this disclosure is not intended to be
limited to the forms or
embodiments so described and illustrated.
[0027] Unless defined otherwise, all terms of art, notations and other
technical terms
or terminology used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by
one of
ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. If a definition
set forth in this
section is contrary to or otherwise inconsistent with a definition set forth
in the patents,
applications, published applications, and other publications that are recited
herein, the
definition set forth in this section prevails over the definition that is in
the patents,
applications, published applications, and other publications that are recited
herein.
[0028] Unless otherwise indicated or the context suggests otherwise, as
used herein,
-a" or -an" means at least one" or one or more."
[0029] This description may use relative spatial and/or orientation terms
in describing
the position and/or orientation of a component, apparatus, location, feature,
or a portion
thereof. Unless specifically stated, or otherwise dictated by the context of
the description,
such terms, including, without limitation, top, bottom, above, below, under,
on top of, upper,
lower, left of, right of, in front of, behind, next to, adjacent, between,
horizontal, vertical,
diagonal, longitudinal, transverse, radial, axial, etc., are used for
convenience in referring to
such component, apparatus, location, feature, or a portion thereof in the
drawings and are not
intended to be limiting.
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[0030] Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, any specific dimensions
mentioned in this
description are merely representative of an exemplary implementation of a
device embodying
aspects of the disclosure and are not intended to be limiting.
[0031] The use of the term "about" applies to all numeric values, whether
or not
explicitly indicated. This term generally refers to a range of numbers that
one of ordinary skill in
the art would consider as a reasonable amount of deviation to the recited
numeric values (i.e.,
having the equivalent function or result) in the context of the present
disclosure. For example,
and not intended to be limiting, this term can be construed as including a
deviation of 10
percent of the given numeric value provided such a deviation does not alter
the end function or
result of the value. Thus, for example, under some circumstances as would be
appreciated by
one of ordinary skill in the art a value of "about 1" can be construed to be a
range from 0.9 to
1.1.
[0032] As used herein, the term "set" refers to a collection of one or more
objects. Thus,
for example, a set of objects can include a single object or multiple objects.
Objects of a set also
can be referred to as members of the set. Objects of a set can be the same or
different. In some
instances, objects of a set can share one or more common properties.
[0033] As used herein, the term "adjacent" refers to being near or
adjoining. Adjacent
objects can be spaced apart from one another or can be in actual or direct
contact with one
another. In some instances, adjacent objects can be coupled to one another or
can be formed
integrally with one another.
[0034] As used herein, the terms "substantially" and "substantial" refer to
a considerable
degree or extent. When used in conjunction with an event or circumstance, the
terms can refer to
instances in which the event or circumstance occurs precisely as well as
instances in which the
8
event or circumstance occurs to a close approximation, such as accounting for
typical
tolerance levels or variability of the embodiments described herein.
[0035] As used herein, the terms -optional" and -optionally" mean that the
subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur and that the
description
includes instances where the event or circumstance occurs and instances in
which it does not.
[0036] A dual function cylinder assembly according to an embodiment is
indicated by
reference number 10 in FIGS. 1-7. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the dual
function cylinder 10
comprises a housing 12, a mechanical cylinder or plug 20 having a keyhole 24,
and an
electronic cylinder or plug 30 having a key receptacle 34. The mechanical
cylinder 20 may
comprise a conventional tumbler cylinder and is arranged within the housing 12
so as to
provide a location for one or more tumbler pin assemblies, as indicated at
reference number
26 in FIG. 3.
[0037] The cylinder 10 is configured to be retrofitted into a compai
anent formed in a
door that is configured to hold a single-function cylinder assembly and is
interoperable with
any traditional latch mechanism with which the single-function cylinder is
operable, such as a
traditional rim lock or mortise lock hardware application.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 5, the electronic cylinder 30 may be disposed
within an
electronic cylinder sleeve 40, and the combined assembly is disposed within an
electronic
cylinder bore 16 formed in the housing 12. Electronic cylinder 30 may comprise
any
electronically-operable cylinder lock configuration. Exemplary electronic
cylinders include
Medeco XT electronic cylinders. Aspects of electronic cylinders that may be
applicable to
cylinder 30 are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,604,394; 7,690,231; 8,973,417,
8,141,399,
and 8,122,746.
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[0039] The mechanical cylinder 20 is disposed within a mechanical cylinder
bore 14
formed in the housing 12. In various embodiments, tumbler holes 26 extending
radially from the
bore 14 align with tumbler holes 28 formed in the cylinder 20 when the
cylinder is in the locked
position and accommodate tumbler pin assemblies (not shown) of the cylinder
20.
[0040] In various embodiments, the electronic cylinder 30 and the
mechanical cylinder
20 are retained within their respective bores 16, 14 by a back plate 42
secured to a back end of
the housing 12 by means of screws 44.
[0041] The dual function retrofit assembly 10 includes a second cam 80 and
a first cam
90. The second cam 80 and the first cam 90 are independently operable as shown
in FIGS. 6 and
7 and is each configured to actuate a latch/lock mechanism of a door, such as
a rim or mortise
lock mechanism.
[0042] FIG. 6 shows the first cam 90 rotated 90 with respect to the second
cam 80 so
that a tab or arm 84 of the second cam 80 extends upwardly and a tab or arm 94
of the first cam
90 extends to one side. In FIG. 7, the positions of the respective cams are
reversed. The tab 94
of the first cam 90 extends upwardly, and the second cam 80 is rotated 90
with respect to the
first cam 90 so that the tab 84 extends outwardly.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 5, a first drive gear 46 is attached to an end of
the mechanical
cylinder 20. In one example, a drive tenon 22 extends through an opening 47
formed in the back
plate 42 and into an opening 48 formed in the first drive gear 46. The first
drive gear 46 may be
secured to an end of the mechanical cylinder 20, for example, by screws 52.
[0044] The first drive gear 46 includes peripheral teeth 50 that engage
with peripheral
teeth 64 of a second drive gear 60 that includes a ring 62 rotatably disposed
on a cylindrical
CA 2966420 2017-05-05
extension 36 of the electronic cylinder 30 extending through an opening 45
formed in the back
plate 42.
[0045] A cam driver 70 includes a ring 72 rotatably disposed on the
cylindrical extension
36 of the electronic cylinder 30. The second drive gear 60 and the cam driver
70 are coaxially
arranged and are rotatably coupled to one another, in the illustrated
embodiment, by means of
axially-projecting drive tabs 66 extending from the ring 62 of the second
drive gear 60 and into
axial recesses 74 formed in a ring 72 of the cam driver 70 at diametrically
opposed positions.
[0046] The second cam 80 includes ring 82 also rotatably disposed on the
cylindrical
extension 36 of the electronic cylinder 30. In an embodiment, the outside
diameter of ring 72 is
substantially equal to (or slightly less than) the inside diameter of ring 82
so that ring 72 of the
cam driver 70 may fit within the ring 82 of the second cam 80. The second cam
80 and the cam
driver 70 are rotatably coupled by a radially-extending drive projection 76 of
the cam driver 70
projecting from the ring 72 into a recess (not shown) on a back side of the
second cam 80.
[0047] In an alternative embodiment, the cam driver 70 is omitted, and the
second gear
60 is rotationally coupled to the second cam 80, for example, by the drive
tabs 66 extending into
complementary recesses formed in the second cam 80. In yet a further
alternative, the second
gear 60 and the second cam 80 are a single integrated component, or are press-
fit together to
form a single component.
[0048] The first cam 90 is directly connected to the electronic cylinder
30 with a drive
tenon 32 projecting axially from the electronic cylinder 30 extending into a
star-shaped opening
92 formed in the first cam 90. The first cam 90 may be secured to the
electronic cylinder 30 by
means of a retainer plate 96 secured by screws 98 extending through a portion
of the star-shaped
opening 92 into the cylinder 30.
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[0049] When an appropriate electronic key is inserted into the key
receptacle 34 of the
electronic cylinder 30 and the electronic cylinder 30 is rotated, the first
cam 90 that is directly
connected to the cylinder 30 also rotates. The second cam 80, which is
rotatably carried on the
cylindrical extension 36, is prevented from rotating by means of its
rotational coupling to the
mechanical cylinder 20 via the second drive gear 60 and the first drive gear
46 that is directly
attached to the mechanical cylinder 20. Thus, when the electronic cylinder 30
is rotated to rotate
the first cam 90, the cylindrical extension 36 rotates with respect to the
second cam 80, the cam
driver 70, and the second drive gear 60, all of which are prevented from
rotating by means of the
first drive gear 46 directly attached to the mechanical cylinder 20.
[0050] When an appropriate mechanical key is inserted into the keyhole 24
of the
mechanical cylinder 20, and the mechanical cylinder 20 is rotated, the first
drive gear 46 is
rotated by the mechanical cylinder. Rotation of the first drive gear 46 causes
a corresponding
rotation of the second drive gear 60, thereby rotating the cam driver 70 and
the second cam 80.
The second drive gear 60, the cam driver 70 and the second cam 80 all rotate
over the cylindrical
extension 36 of the electronic cylinder 30, while the first cam 90 is held
fixed by means of the
electronic cylinder 30.
[0051] FIGS. 8 and 9 show an alternative embodiment of the dual function
cylinder
assembly. This embodiment differs from the dual function cylinder assembly of
FIGS. 1-7 in
that the mechanical cylinder 20 is replaced with a second electronic cylinder
30' disposed within
a second electronic cylinder sleeve 40'. As shown in FIG. 8, the second
electronic cylinder 30'
includes a second key receptacle 34' so that a second electronic key, rather
than a mechanical
key, may be used to operate the dual function cylinder assembly. In one
embodiment, the profile
of the second key receptacle 34' may be shaped differently than the profile of
the key receptacle
34 so that a user may easily distinguish the key receptacle 34 from the second
key receptacle 34'.
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By having two separate electronic cylinders or plugs retained within the
single housing 12, the
dual function cylinder assembly of FIGS. 8 and 9 provides independent access
for two different
users, in which each user has its own electronic key.
[0052] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the dual function cylinder
assembly comprising the
electronic cylinder 30 and the second electronic cylinder 30'. Unlike
electronic cylinder 30, the
second electronic cylinder 30' does not include an extension. Instead, similar
to the mechanical
cylinder 20, the second electronic cylinder 30' has a drive tenon 32'
extending through the
opening 47 formed in the back plate 42. The drive tenon 32' extends into the
opening 48 of the
first drive gear 46, thereby directly attaching the end of the second
electronic cylinder 30' to the
first drive gear 46. Accordingly, the direct attachment between the second
electronic cylinder
30' and the first drive gear 46 prevents the second cam 80, the cam driver 70,
and the second
drive gear 60 from rotating when the electronic cylinder 30 is rotated by an
inserted key. In
addition, the direct attachment between the second electronic cylinder 30' and
the first drive gear
46 allows the second electronic cylinder 30' to actuate rotation of the first
drive gear 46, the
second drive gear 60, the cam driver 70, and the second cam 80, while the
first cam 90 is held
fixed by means of the electronic cylinder 30. Thus, the electronic cylinder 30
and the second
electronic cylinder 30' are independently operable.
[0053] While the subject matter of this disclosure has been
described and shown in
considerable detail with reference to certain illustrative embodiments,
including various
combinations and sub-combinations of features, those skilled in the art will
readily appreciate
other embodiments and variations and modifications thereof as encompassed
within the scope of
the present disclosure.
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